


The Promise of Kindness

by daniko



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-05
Updated: 2013-11-05
Packaged: 2017-12-31 15:19:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1033236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daniko/pseuds/daniko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Severus could certainly believe that, out of everyone in this world, his faulty Floo connection would send him straight into the den of the last person he wanted to alert of his rather living state.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Promise of Kindness

**Author's Note:**

> Prompted by JKR's last about how unreliable the Floo Network is. Then, it took on a life of its own. :3

It was morning: a bloody morning, just like yesterday's, the one before that and – if Severus Snape was feeling particularly given to flights of (fancy) Divination, he dared to say – a morning like tomorrow's.

Severus probably should have thought more carefully about the consequences of faking one's death.

On the upper side, he had published three scientific articles in _Potions Quarterly_ and _Hydra: Pouring Over the Dark Arts_ in the five years since the Battle of Hogwarts, under a pseudonym. On the down side, and he felt like it was bad _juju_ even thinking it, there was only so much Potions one could take. As it was, Severus was _bored_.

So very, very bored; which was why he decided to take the morning off and go dilly-dally in Diagon Alley.

Once he finished his morning ablutions and got dressed, Severus took a pinch of Floo powder, threw it in the flames and clearly said, “Borgin and Burke's!”

Only to step into someone else's hearth.

“Merlin's pants!”

Severus fancied he could feel the blood freezing in his veins at the unexpectedly familiar voice, but years of practise held true and sent him into a flurry of action, trying to get to his wand from inside his Muggle coat and Apparate away.

“I told you I'd be right behind— _bloody hell_!”

A tea mug shattered on the floor.

Severus could hardly believe it.

Well, not actually.

He could certainly believe that, out of everyone in Britain—out of everyone in this world even, his faulty Floo connection would send him straight into the den of the last person he wanted to alert of his rather living state.

“Who are you?”

Severus pursed his lips in annoyance. “The Half-blood Prince.”

Potter went white. “How—how do you know about that? I only ever told—.”

Severus took a ridiculous amount of satisfaction in silently lifting a single eyebrow. The left one.

Potter now looked mildly green and about to keel over. Severus resisted the urge to shove him into a chair. “But—but I saw you! Ron, Hermione and I saw you die!”

“You saw what you were meant to see, boy! Not to worry, though,” Severus said, reckoning it was finally safe to unzip his coat and reach for his wand, “I'll just be on my—.”

“No!” Potter cried, lifting his wand, and Severus felt the familiar pull of the house's wards closing down around him. “Just—just shut up for a second. You—bloody hell! You're _alive_ ,” he announced cheerfully. Then, darkly, “You faked your own death. You selfish bastard!”

Severus drew himself to his full height. “I beg your pardon! If you think for a second I'd have let them lock me in Azkaban and throw away the key, you are very much—.”

Potter's eyes widened in outrage. “I wouldn't let them!”

“You _were_ —you are a child! What business is it of yours, in fact? I demand you lift the wa—.”

“Will you come back, then?”

“Not if I can help it!”

“Well, then,” Potter declared triumphantly. “That's why I won't lift the wards.”

The fiendish brat! Severus growled unbidden, “Potter!”

Potter rolled his eyes. Then, he lift his wand, whispered something, and Severus could only watch as the mighty silver stag emerged from Potter's wand and trotted away. “There. The Weasleys will know not to worry. We have time.” Potter made a show of making himself comfortable in his own sofa; he glanced at Severus sideways. “What are you even wearing? Is that a jumper?”

“What of it?”

Potter blinked. “You wear jumpers.”

Severus decided to ignore that. “Potter, I do not want to be here,” he said firmly and slowly. “I have errands to—.”

“I'll go with you,” Potter said quickly. “I'll help with those errands.”

“That would defeat the purpose of a Notice-Me-Not Charm. You are a veritable coutercharm to it, I'm sure.”

“Merlin's pants, must you be so contrary?”

Severus glared. “Your company is unwanted,” he gritted out.

Potter crossed his arms. “You're not leaving until I'm sure I will see you again.”

Severus sighed and took a seat next to Potter. “Potter. You seem to have romaticised your memories of me. Do quit it.”

Potter looked quite sullen. “I haven't. You were—.” He looked stunned. “You _are_ the bravest man I know. You're alive.”

Severus groaned, rubbed at his forehead in exasperation. “I was not the bravest, Potter. I was the guiltiest. There is a mighty difference.”

“You—okay, fine. Whatever you say. Just—I cleared your name. You can come back.”

Severus sighed. He felt like he was about to kick an injured, small and fuzzy creature of some sort. “No. Being dead is the truest freedom I've ever felt.”

Potter's gaze seemed to turned inward and he said quietly, “Yeah.”

Severus sat up in alarm. Surely Potter didn't mean—but the child had been rather depressed in the past—surely someone would have noticed bef—.

Potter glanced at him and rolled his eyes. “Don't be dramatic, Snape.” He grinned. “Though I'm glad to know you care.”

Severs glared. “I don't.”

Potter hummed indulgently. Severus glared harder.

After a moment, Potter turned towards Severus rather decisively. “I understand why you would want to be free of all this. I thought like that after—afterwards, but.” He paused. “I'd have missed Ron and Hermione and the Weasleys terribly; Luna and Neville, too, I suppose.”

“I have no one to miss, or to miss me.”

Potter huffed. “Right. Well, there's McGonagall and Pomfrey. Malfoy Senior, Junior and Narcissa visit your grave every year on the first of May.” He hesitated. “There's Madame Rosmerta. She came by after your postumous trial. I didn't know you were close.”

Severus snapped, “It's none of your business.” Potter went quiet. “Superficial connections and guilty consciences, that's what it is. I'm better off in my little Muggle cottage.”

“Right.” Potter bit his lip. “There's also me. I figured a while back that we are very alike. We could be friends. Or you could meet new people. You didn't end up here by accident, you know? Of everyone in the world, your faulty Floo connection brought you to my house?” Severus sighed the sigh of the weary. “Doesn't that strike you as a sign from above?”

Potter remained, of course, much like Potter; got himself into things he didn't quite understand, offered things he knew nothing about. Just like his mother. Severus tried, “I—I'm free. Content.”

“You're bored,” said Potter. “There is still time to actually live, Severus.”

Severus started to answer, but then stopped. Something about that didn't sound quite right. “Potter is not usually this persuasive.”

Potter's smile froze, but then turned ruefully wicked; he said, “Few can actually see beyond the illusion,” but didn't otherwise move.

“Who are you?”

“Nobody really.” Not-Potter sighed. “I should have let you direct the fantasy, instead of rushing it. You had Harry Potter down to an almost exact replica. You must have watched him carefully in life. But I get bored sometimes, what can I say? Anyway, long story short: I give you a choice. You either stay dead, or you come back to the world of the living. There are people waiting for you whatever you choose, I didn't lie about it. Living won't be easy, but hey—it might just be worth it. And if there's anything I know about you, it's this: you never could resist the promise of kindness. So. What do you say?”

*

“He's waking up—oh, do be _still_ , Mr Potter! Miss Granger, could you hand the blue vial? Thank you. Now, why don't you two go wait in the next room?”


End file.
